3COM Corporation manufactures and markets a line of shirt pocket (palm) sized personal digital assistants (PDAs), i.e., hand held digital electronic note taking and record keeping computers known as Palm Computing.RTM. Connected Organizers, i.e., the PalmPilot.RTM. and the Palm III.TM. Organizers. Details of PDAs manufactured for and sold by the 3COM Corporation are published on and can be accessed via the Internet IBM.RTM. has manufactured and sells an identical line of PDAs under license from 3COM Corporation known as the Workpad. Details of the IBM.RTM. WorkPad PDAs are published on and can be accessed via the Internet.
More than 2 million PalmPilot.RTM. Palm III.TM. and Workpad PDA Organizers have been sold in the past few years. Typically, such users carry such small PDAs in their shirt pocket. Frequently, protective carrying cases or shells are used to protect the PDAs from shock and scratches. Unfortunately, most PDAs include a flat panel glass (LCD) display screen which is quite fragile. Typically such screens shatter when the PDA is fumbled and dropped at typical working heights (3 to 5 feet) onto hard floor surfaces (concrete) and the like. Also the thin hard plastic body case of the PDA has a tendency to chip and fracture when dropped onto hard surfaces.
Fragility limits the utility of small PDAs such the PalmPilot.RTM., the PalmIII.TM. and the Workpad. For example, in a typical supermarket situation, fishing a PDA out of a pocket or a carrying case to consult a list is a two handed operation, something that is not really feasible for a user simultaneously shopping. Hands full, and attention distracted, shopping users invariably fumble and drop something, typically the PDA they are attempting to fish out of a pocket or case and consult. A PDA with a shattered LCD panel and/or fractured case is a broken PDA and useless. All recent data and information entered and stored is typically lost. PDA data backed-up (saved) in another computer data storage system is typically never current.
Similar confounding environments challenge PDA users wanting to consult their PDAs, while standing conversing (and gesticulating) with associates; while riding a bicycle; while doing aerobic exercises; while driving searching for an address; while riding a horse; while hiking.
One of the unique attributes of the 3Com Corporation line of Palm Computing.RTM. Connected Organizers and the Workpad PC IBM.RTM. is that the base of the PDA case is configured to "plug-in" or dock in female sockets of mounting cradles and circuitry modules each of which may contain external electronic processing elements. Typically, mounting cradles include a pedestal base which support the PDA in an inclined position on a horizontal support surface while simultaneously electrically coupling the PDA to external electronics, e.g., a battery charger and/or external computer system. The back face of the docking base of Palm Computing.RTM. Connected Organizers and clones feature a plurality (10) centrally positioned adjacent conductive strips positioned between a pair of raised lands aligned parallel the side edges of the casing for allowing `wiping` electrical contact between the PDA and the female/cradle electronics elements. Latch notches (recesses) are located proximate end of the docking base of the PDA casing which penetrate into its side edges for receiving complementary shaped male latching nibs of the enveloping female module/cradle socket.
A rather frustrating aspect of such modules/cradles docks is that mechanisms securing the module and cradles to the PDA are typically designed to secure the circuitry module/cradle to the PDA not visa versa. In fact, mounting cradles typically rely upon gravity (a force field) to maintain engagement of the PDA in the cradle mount. Accordingly, when handling a PDA coupled to a female circuitry module or a cradled PDA, users must exercise caution to avoid flipping the PDA free of the connecting module or cradle to crash on the floor.